New upright on the block: a review of the Dyson Cinetic Big Ball

Dyson has announced its latest upright vacuum at CES 2015, the Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal and Allergy, claiming it to be world’s first upright vacuum that truly never loses suction. It already hit the stores (or it will, by the end of this month), so I couldn’t find any reason why I shouldn’t prepare you for this “revolution” that’s about to come. Speaking of the future, I’ve already covered another great product that will soon be released by Dyson: the 360 Eye robotic vacuum, be sure to check it out.

There are many vacuums on the market that claim “no loss of suction”, but standard tests from various association allows any vacuum to pass this highly covered claim of “no loss of suction” as long as the machine is able to run one bin full of dust through the machine without any drop in its performance. However, the company says that many vacuums that rely on filters quickly loose on front performance after this initial bin load, due to large amount of dust piling up on its filters. Dyson’s latest models now push the technology forwards in a way that might actually make this claim true. For years Dyson’s vacuums have been using centrifugal force to remove dust from the airflow, thereby eliminating any need for bags. Now, by successfully breaking their “cyclone” that generates this force down into hundreds of tiny oscillating pieces, the new Dyson Cinetic series can easily process the dirt into microscopic elements, without clogging and eliminating any need for classic filters.

But how does it work? This new vacuum comes with smaller cyclones that enables it to successfully capture smaller dust particles. But this also makes it easy to clog any filter. The company uses tiny oscillating tips to resolve this problem, a technology which it called Cinetic. These tips vibrate 350 times a second, so there’s no chance of dust clogging the aperture. This system pushes the dust straight into the bin. Dyson claims that dust particles as small as 0.6 microns can be easily spun out of the airflow into the bin, and similarly to its’ earlier canister models (the Cinetic DC52/DC54), this means you won’t have to spend time cleaning the dust filter. The company founder James Dyson argued that filter maitantnace is one of the biggest issues vacuum cleaners face these days. Dyson’s engineers spent 7 years perfecting the innovative cyclone technology to make usual filter maintenance obsolete. The constant oscillating Cinetic tips ensure cyclones do not block the passage as all tiny dust particles are spun out of the air and are not trapped inside a cyclone or on the air filter.

The Dyson Upright Cinetic Big Ball also uses unique “ball” technology that features a large sphere at the bottom, which allows the vacuum to roll much more easier. The Big Ball is a component which you’ll definitely appreciate,especially if you’re using the vacuum for day-to-day cleaning. Given the vacuum’s lower center of gravity, the over-sized pivot point means it should take far less effort to push the machine around. It also has a active plate on cleaner head that allows it to automatically adjust to different surface types.

Let’s see the key advantages of this vacuum, spread nicely on the following infographic.

Product infographic

Table of specifications

Extensive Research

Dyson spent more than 9,000 hours in the lab and in real homes to ensure the Cinetic Big Ball Animal Allergy never loses suction, and conducted extensive field tests using the equivalents of 12 years’ worth of accumulating dust. It took tens of millions of $$ into research to ensure the Dyson Cinetic Big Ball successfully maintained a constant level of suction throughout its testing, and Dyson says all its test engineers ran their dust suppliers’ stocks dry!

The Machine

On the outside, the Dyson Cinetic Big Ball looks like all other modern Dyson uprights. It has an all-plastic construction firmly dominated by an upright canister and a huge ball that acts as a wheel and houses the motor. Assembling the machine is very easy, though there might be some scratching moments for first time-users which will probably wonder about which way the handle goes on, or exactly how to fit the brush assembly, and so on.

The Dyson Cinetic Big Ball is equipped with an active plate that self-adjusts across all floor types, maintaining a close contact with the surface to be cleaned. By automatically lowering and raising, suction is completely sealed in. Likewise, the Big Ball’s lower center of gravity means it’s much easier to pull without snagging on carpet pile or corners. The bin is very easy to open, with a simple button dropping the bottom out on a hinge. The latch is equipped with a large and snug gasket, so it may take a while for you to learn how to put it back properly, but once you got the hang of it, there won’t be any problem. Another feature is that the inside of the bin easily comes off, so you won’t have to dig out clumps of dirt that get lodged. Another nice touch is the power cord, which is exceptionally long (35 ft), which reduces any need to repeatedly find new power outlets.

The accessories

The Cinetic Big Ball comes with important accessories. In the box there are total of eight different attachments. The Reach Under tool and Tangle-Free Turbine stand out the most. The Tangle-Free Turbine got its name from its two counter-rotating toothed wheels that successfully keep it from clogging with hair. The Reach Under Tool is actually a hooked dusting brush that helps users reach under couches and beds. Aside from those two, the vacuum also comes with a Combination tool, a Stair tool, a Carbon Fiber Soft Dusting Brush, a Multi-angle Brush, and an accessory bag to carry them all in.

Though accessories with Dyson Cinetic Big Ball are comprehensive, they’re also quite small. The mattress tool measures 7 inches. You’ll be using the tangle-free brush the most, but it’s the most compact one at just 5 by 3 inches. This size limits it to cleaning stairs, car mates, and upholstery. Like other Dyson accessories, these accessories feel well-built, but they definitely lack size to handle larger cleaning tasks.

The usability

The Cinetic Big Ball weights 19.8 pounds – an intentional heft that gives the vacuum much better stability. Indeed, the machine feels lighter (although a bit bulky) when you are cleaning, and the adjustable head and the big ball lets you pivot on a dime. That being said, the vacuum is fairly difficult to haul upstairs, especially since most of its mass is distributed close to the floor. The large ball of the vacuum makes it difficult for the vacuum to clean areas under furniture. If you’ve a sofa that stands 5 inches off the ground, you’ll only be able to reach only 5 inches underneath it, before the bottom of the sofa obstructs the vacuum’s head. Even when you boost the clearance up to 10 inches, the Big Ball can only reach up to 14-15 inches the most. If you’re living in an apartment or small house with minimal clutter, this machine will suit you well. Its long 35-foot power cord means you can easily clean 900-1000 square ft. without any need to replug.

The Launch

The Dyson Cinetic Big Ball launch also coincides with an independent survey by German Institute of Quality claiming top spot for the machine, beating many rival German manufactures including Vorweck, Miele, AEG, Siemens, Bosch, and Karcher to become the world’s best vacuum manufacturer.

The product goes on sale from QVC in the US starting from Thursday, Jan 15. You can buy it from Dyson’s website and many other big retailers from March the 1st. The vacuum comes with 5 years warranty. It will retail for $699 for the Animal+Allergy version, or $599 for the Animal version. The Big Ball has been priced at £460 in the UK, but it’s undetermined when it will be available in Australia.

Update: the Cinetic Big Ball has been launched.

Conclusion

The new upright from Dyson promises to make a good figure. I can’t wait to get my hands on one and give it a VGM. Until then, I’m as always, open to your comments.